MOGWAI FEEL THE CHANGE ON LATEST
Scottish post-rockers announce new studio album and tour for the autumn.
Mogwai release ninth album Every Country’s Sun on September 1 via Rock Action Records – and they’re still refusing to take their titles seriously. Despite a hint of military undertone, multi-instrumentalist Barry Burns tells Prog,
“A close friend of ours thought every country had its own sun, and that’s why Spain is hotter. It’s one of the funniest things
I’ve ever heard!
“Titles don’t matter so much when you’re making instrumental music. If you thought about it too much you’d get bored.”
The follow-up to 2014’s Rave Tapes is the first without guitarist John Cummings, who left in 2015. But Mogwai’s workload meant they just had to “steam through” the change. “We didn’t have time to think about it,” says Burns. On the new record, he adds, “We felt his absence, but it didn’t affect the way we worked. It affected the way we thought about stuff.”
According to Burns, the album features “more variety” than its predecessor. “There’s more guitar because [bassist] Dominic Aitchison was writing quite a few of the songs, and it shone through.” So did their recent experiences of writing soundtracks, not least last year’s Atomic. “When you’re doing as much work as you can possibly do, you’re getting better at what you do.”
So with the comedy titles continuing, would it be fair to compare Mogwai albums to comedy sketch shows? “Aye, it’s just like Chewin’ The Fat,” says the Scotsman. “And I’m Ford Kiernan.” The one who gets drunk and starts fights? “Aye, that’s me!”
For Mogwai’s autumn tour dates, visit: www.mogwai.co.uk. MK